Of Maagik, Swords and Crowns (Chapter 6)

Of Maagik, Swords and Crowns (Chapter 6)

CHAPTER 6 – PLANS

I told Glifádha about Resher, and all the information she’d revealed.

“I never knew that,” she protested. “And I thought I paid attention to important stuff!” A debate about Glifádha ‘paying attention’ went on for the next few minutes, and I found we were all very confident with one another. I held up my hands and called for a stop.
“Case postponed! I’ve made a plan, to rescue my parents,” I proclaimed triumphantly. “We can sail to Dipthongg, ask around and look at shipping records to see who’s sailed to another isle. Then, we can go to that isle and seek out the castle, village or wherever. I can work as a maid, if it’s a castle, and you two gossip with your respective genders to see what’s been happening.” They blinked at me, so I explained again, adding this at the end: “I know it seems really selfish, because they’re my parents, but I really think it’s for the good of Dipmaagik too. We need our sorcerers.”

“I get it,” said Glifádha. “I’d really like to help, ‘cos your parents are really nice and Dipmaagik seems to be falling apart with so many sorcerers moving or disappearing.”
Conrrin nodded. “I’ve noticed it too. A guy I knew, he was called off to some war and he never came back.”
“So you’re willing to help?” I asked, hope welling up inside me.
“Of course,” chimed Conrrin and Glifádha in unison. I smiled, happy to have such great friends.

“I bags Gwen!!!” Glifádha said suddenly.
“What?” exclaimed Conrrin incredulously. “Secret names?”
“Yeah,” said Glifádha grumpily. “If they know Zai’s parents they’ll know Zai. We’ll have to travel incognito. And besides, it’s fun!”
“OK Gli, you win,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I’ll take…Zanda.”
“Cashtran,” said Conrrin resignedly. “A nice simple name. But, Zaidaanj, you’ll have to disguise your eyes.”
“You too,” I retorted. “When’re we going, then?”
“Well Zanda –” started Glifádha.
“Don’t call me that yet!” I interrupted.
“WELL, Zai and Conrrin,” she said, “we could leave tomorrow. Or next week. What can I say to my parents?”
“Say you’re helping Zaidaanj with something,” Conrrin said. “You could come back here once we’ve found the place where that king person is. Your parents would never know!”
“They’re sorcerers, Conrrin,” said Glifádha worriedly. “What if they look in my mind?” I scowled at her.
“Parents do not look into children’s minds,” I said. “You’re only allowed to do that if you’re in danger, otherwise it’d backfire. Think, Gli!”
“Come on, Zaidaanj. We’re in this together, for you and for the good of Dipmaagik. What we really don’t need is us being split up because of some stupid argument, and you need to learn to control your temper. Why, a minute ago we were all chatting like the friends we are, but now it’s as if a layer of ice has settled on us,” Conrrin interjected. “Let’s put this aside. Shake hands, you two!” We did, reluctantly, but Conrrin’s words made sense. I made a silent promise to try to keep my temper in check.

I outlined the plan again; sail to Dipthongg, check out shipping records, send Glifádha back to Dipmaagik, go to the place we find correct records about, check that out, and make another action plan when we’re there.

We all set out to the pier where I turned my eyes dark blue like everyone else and I changed Glifádha’s eyes likewise. The two of us left Conrrin and strolled down the beach innocently. We reached a small, blue coloured booth that sold tickets to other isles and looked in the gap that substituted for a window.

“Ahem,” I coughed, “I’d like three tickets to Dipthongg, please.”
The burly man in the booth looked around and muttered, “Three to Dipthongg…”
Glifádha nodded and said “Yes, that’s right.”
“Would you like First Class, Middle Class, or Low Class?” asked the man as he looked down on a sheet of parchment that listed names and dates.
“First Class,” I said promptly. I had the money from my Club Capryy wages, and some from Conrrin, so why not travel in comfort? The man raised his eyebrows in thought and moved his lips soundlessly.
“What date?” he inquired.
“Soon as possible,” I said, a little uncertainly.
“That’ll be tomorrow, 10:00 am, on the Dipmaagik Express. You’ll be in cabin three. There’re only six cabins on that completely First Class ship, so you’re lucky to get one. The journey should take about a day, and food, drinks, and refreshments will be served.” he recited. I gave over some of my wages from Club Capryy and some money from Conrrin, and he handed over the tickets. They were golden, made so by magical means, and had all the details magically printed on them. It really must be a rich organisation to be able to hire a sorcerer.
“Thank you,” I said, grinning at our success.

~~~

As we walked away, a middle-aged lady strode up to the booth. She inquired what tickets we had bought, saying she was our friend. When she knew what vessel we were catching, she nodded in a satisfactory way, and hurried off.

~~~

Glifádha and I celebrated our success. So when we reached a relieved Conrrin, we went on a shopping spree so we could act our part on the ship to Dipthongg. We also bought some shabbier (normal to us) clothes for when we reached Dipthongg so we would blend in with the locals.

With our bags full, we staggered back to the barn and collapsed.

“That’s a hell of a lot of clothes,” gasped Glifádha.
“Oh yeah?” Conrrin panted. “The rich people on the boat will probably have multiple suitcases full of stuff…not all clothes, but handbags and accessories and makeup. Yuk!”
“Why do you know so much?” I asked, feeling a little suspicious.
“Don’t mind me,” he laughed. “I used to work for a young lady in her twenties in my younger days, I was about 14 years old, and gourd she was crazy over how she looked!”
“You could tell us how to act,” Glifádha said drowsily. “’Cause we have no idea…”

The next morning, 6:00, Glifádha and I were parading around on the grass outside the barn. We tried on our uncomfortable clothes and high heels, and practiced speaking the noble way. All under Conrrin’s watchful eye. He told us the stories of how the rich woman he served as a child spoke, laughed, acted, socialised, and walked. There was a lot to learn, but we picked it up quickly.

At half-past eight, we changed to our normal clothes and went to have breakfast at a little café.
“How will you know how to act?” Glifádha asked Conrrin with her mouth full.
“Well, the woman had a husband, of course,” he replied. “I watched him too.” Breakfast finished with the usual chatter between Glifádha and I and the occasional comments of Conrrin’s.

We went to an expensive hair salon to get my and Conrrin’s hair temporarily dyed light brown. The stylists massaged a mixture of cinnamon, cleansed brown dust, and an ointment to make it stick to our hair. We let it dry, and our hair was brown! Only problem, if our hair gets wet or if we have a bath and splash too much, all the brown will wash off and Conrrin will be left with his chestnut, me with my black streaks.

So half an hour later, we strolled out onto the beach and looked for a hidden place to change into our other clothes. We had soon discovered a hedge and took turns to duck behind it and struggle into our tight outfits.

When we had all gotten dressed and had applied makeup, we looked each other up and down and burst into fits of laughter. We all looked like something out of Club Capryy! Even Glifádha, who had been going there, never dressed like this. I used my laughter and happiness to change all our eye colours. We dragged hair-brushes through our tangled hair, and pinned awry strands into place. Just right, all stiff and faultless like a noble woman’s hair.

“OK,” said Conrrin in a commanding voice, “come, my ladies.” He marched off and Glifádha and I had no choice but to follow.

It was about 15 minutes til the Dipmaagik Express would leave. We set off as fast as our attire would allow towards the beach. The boy followed behind carrying the bags of clothes, accessories, and shoes. At that time, I hadn’t yet noticed a long, thin package tied to Conrrin’s bag.

Eventually we reached the table (that had just been erected) where we handed over our tickets for inspection by an unsuspecting sorcerer and uniformed guard.
“Yes, you’re fine to go,” he said.

We turned and walked up the gangplank, dropping our bags as we got onto the deck of the ship. I looked over the railing and saw a middle-aged pair; a short, stout woman and her tall, thin husband.

As the pair’s bag-carrier dropped their luggage at the door of cabin four and shuffled off, the travellers themselves strolled up the gangplank.
“Good day. Who might you be?” asked the woman in a very friendly voice. “I am Mrs Vynyard, and this is my husband Mr Vynyard. We are of the House Vynyard, as you would assume.”
“Well, my name is Gwen,” Glifádha replied guardedly. “These are my friends, Zanda and Cashtran.”
“What is your House?” Mr Vynyard asked in a closed-up tone.
“I don’t have one,” Glifádha said without thinking.
“What?!” cried the Vynyards together.
“We come from Dipthongg,” I said smoothly, as if cutting butter with the hot knife of my voice. “They don’t have your Houses there.”
“Ah, yes,” said Mrs Vynyard. “I forgot. Please forgive me.”
“No problem,” Conrrin contributed. “What is your business in Dipthongg?”
“Oh, we own a holiday house there where we enjoy breeding racing turtles. Whatever are all of you going for?”
“Just visiting,” Conrrin said happily. “You start to miss your old home after a while!” The Vynyards nodded, said goodbye, and walked into their cabin next door to ours.

We sighed and went into our cabin.
“That was a test,” grumbled Glifádha. “Thanks for covering me, Zanda.”
“No problem,” I laughed.
“Shh, they could hear us,” whispered Conrrin. “You can’t be too careful…”
“ALL ABOARD!!!” cried a voice. “ALL ABOARD!!!”
“We’re leaving!” I said excitedly as we rushed outside to the rail. People were standing on the beach and on the pier waving to the other nobles beside us. Some of the women were wiping their eyes with a handkerchief while waving their free hand in little circles.

Conrrin stood solemnly next to Glifádha and I, while we copied the little wave that the older women were displaying.

“You three are very well educated,” complimented a voice. I turned around slowly. The man who addressed us was of an average height with a suit on, holding a girl about half his age with very revealing clothes on by the arm. When he saw us staring at her, he laughed.
“You’re thinking how could the guard have let that man on?, aren’t you? But,” he explained, “the guard lets anyone on that can pay. And I’m just as rich as you lovely young ladies so I have every right to be on this boat. No matter who I am or what I choose to do with this girl here.” Glifádha turned her head and only just stopped herself from spitting on the deck.
“Horrid man,” I said loudly, to draw attention to us.

That’s when I turned back to the rail and saw Conrrin. He was staring at the man as if he looked familiar. The man shook his head, puzzled, and saw Conrrin too. His eyes grew large again and he raised a shaking hand to point at my friend.
“Out with it, man,” I commanded. “What do you have to say?”

The man gaped then pulled himself together.
“Come, boy,” he said, beckoning. “We need to talk.”